Moong Dal Chilla is a healthy, protein-rich Indian snack made with soaked moong dal, fresh vegetables, and everyday spices. In this recipe, I share a few simple tips to prepare the perfect chilla that turns out crispy on the outside while remaining soft, fluffy, and flavorful on the inside. The addition of vegetables not only enhances the taste but also makes it more nutritious and wholesome.
This quick and easy recipe is an excellent choice for breakfast, a light lunch, or an evening snack. It is a healthy meal for both kids and adults, providing a good balance of protein, fiber, and essential nutrients to keep you full and energized. Moong Dal Chilla tastes delicious on its own, so it doesn’t require any side dish, but you can serve it with green chutney, tomato ketchup, or curd for an even more enjoyable meal. Give this easy and healthy recipe a try!
The key to making perfect moong dal chilla at home are
- Batter Preparation:Â Firstly, while soaking the moong dal, add a little poha along with it. The poha helps make the chilla soft and fluffy. I also add a little rava (semolina) to the batter, which gives the chilla a soft, porous (jalidar) texture while keeping it light.
- Add Vegetables with Tempering: To make the chilla more nutritious, add finely chopped vegetables of your choice to the batter. I prefer preparing a simple tempering with vegetables and mixing it into the batter. This enhances the flavor and keeps the chilla soft even after it cools. Make sure the vegetables are finely chopped so they cook evenly inside the chilla.
- Batter Consistency: The chilla batter should have a medium-thick, pourable consistency. Avoid making the batter too thin, as the chilla may break and won’t turn out soft. If the batter becomes too thin, add a little rava to adjust the consistency. If it is too thick, add a small amount of water.
- Cooking Tips and serving suggestion:Â For a crispy outside and soft inside, cook the chilla on a medium to low flame using a generous amount of oil. Spread the batter evenly and cook until both sides are golden brown. Moong dal pudla tastes best when served hot with chutney .
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Moong dal chilla recipe | moong dal cheela | moong dal pudla
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow moong dal
- ½ cup poha
- 1 cup rava
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup water or as required
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp chopped green chilli
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped capsicum
- ½ cup chopped tomatoes
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp red chilli flakes
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
- ½ cup chopped coriander leaves
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Oil for roasting
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add 1 cup of moong dal and ½ cup of poha. Wash them thoroughly and soak for 3–4 hours.
- In another bowl, combine 1 cup of rava with 1 cup of buttermilk. Mix well and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Once the moong dal is well soaked, drain the water and transfer it to a mixer jar. Add ½ cup of water and grind into a smooth paste.
- Add the ground moong dal paste to the soaked rava mixture and mix well.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds, 2 chopped green chilies, and ½ cup of chopped onion. Sauté until the onions turn soft.
- Add ½ cup of chopped capsicum, ½ cup of chopped tomatoes, and salt to taste. Mix well and sauté for 2–3 minutes.
- Add 1 teaspoon of red chilli flakes and ½ teaspoon of black pepper powder. Mix well.
- Transfer the prepared tempering (tadka) to the batter and add ½ cup of chopped coriander leaves. Mix everything well.
- The batter should have a medium-thick, ribbon-like pouring consistency.
- Just before making the chilla, add ½ teaspoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Mix gently until well combined.
- Heat a tawa and grease it lightly with oil. Sprinkle a few sesame seeds over the surface. Pour a ladleful of batter onto the tawa and spread it slightly to make 4–5 small chillas at a time.
- Cook the chillas on a medium-low flame until they are golden and crispy on the bottom. Flip and cook the other side until crisp and evenly cooked.
- Serve the hot moong dal chillas with tomato ketchup or green chutney.
Notes
- Adding poha makes the chilla soft and tender.
- Rava (semolina) gives the chilla a light, fluffy, and porous texture.
- Soak the rava in buttermilk for a few minutes so it absorbs the moisture and swells properly.
- The chilla (pudla) batter should have a medium-thick, pourable consistency.
- If the batter is too thin, add a little more rava. If it is too thick, add a little water to adjust the consistency.
- The tadka (tempering) enhances the flavor and keeps the chilla soft even after it cools down.
- Cook the chilla over medium heat. Avoid cooking it on high heat, as it may brown quickly on the outside while remaining undercooked inside.